The process for selecting a new Learning Management System

On request from the University delegate for this process, the Pro Vice Chancellor, Prof. Robin Stanton, the Director of ICT Environments, Dr Markus Buchhorn, took advice throughout 2007 from staff and students about the University’s needs, through individual and group meetings across the University, emailed comments, phone calls, etc. and more formally via the Academic Systems Assurance Advisory Committee and various College Education and Information Committees.

The need was identified for a system that is easy to use for both staff and students, will scale to the demands of the ANU, meet our increasingly sophisticated needs for flexible options for the design and delivery of courses and programs, facilitate the implementation of collaborative learning environments, and enable proper integration with related systems, such as Student 21 and our Library Management systems.

The review process led to a set of requirements identified by teaching staff and by support staff through the consultation above.

In January 2008, the requirements led to the University issuing an RFI to identify potential providers of the services for a new LMS. That RFI closed in late February 2008, and an initial evaluation process followed, to see what the market can, and cannot, offer.

The next steps in the process include:

1. A proposal evaluation panel, chaired by the Director, ICT Environments, was established in May 2008. The panel includes staff and students from the user community and individuals with expertise in the following key areas:
   
   • Education Design
   • System integration/performance
   • Management/ongoing development
   • Training/Support
2. The University Purchasing and Contracts Office works with the panel in a formal advisory capacity; this process has University policy and probity requirements.
3. Through June the panel worked on finalising the "statement of requirements" for the University, which is the key component of the Request for Proposals which was sent to the market in early July. This document, based on the requirements above, is openly available to all staff and students of the ANU. It also includes some information to be used for the final evaluation criteria.
4. Approval was received from the delegate to take the RFP to the market in early July 2008. Submissions to the RFP were received by 30 July 2008.
5. At this time (August, 2008) the panel is in the process of assessing the responses to the RFP against the evaluation criteria.
6. After the panel evaluation, the University will further evaluate the proposals by referring to other sites using the products, product demonstrations etc. throughout September
7. All going well, initial deployment is planned for November 2008.

This page last edited 22 August, 2008. This site will continue to be updated as the process moves ahead.